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The Pint is Mightier: Elysian Brewing Co.

(Beer Connoisseur Eric Peters contributed to this post)

The Pint is Mightier is back! Today we review local Seattle favorite…

Elysian Brewing Co.

Named for the Grecian final resting place of the heroic and virtuous – Elysium – the flagship brewery of Elysian is located in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. We mere mortals journeyed to this mythical spot looking for some epic brews.

Eric’s first beer was the Perseus Porter, named for the legendary hero who slew Medusa. A bold name, he noted, but fitting of one of the most bold porters he’d tried. The beer was a lovely dark brown color that poured with a light head. Upon first taste Eric noticed that this beer was a bit hoppy for a porter; unusual, but quite pleasant nonetheless. The different roasted flavors of the porter were harmoniously balanced, and after a few more sips Eric noted a hint of creaminess in the mix as well that brought the whole beer together. Overall this beer was medium bodied and extremely drinkable. Eric found this to be an fantastic and unique porter that handily lived up to its legendary namesake. He highly recommends to anyone who enjoys dark beers

I couldn’t resist trying one of Elysian’s specialty brews on tap, the Rhubarbarella. It was billed as a wheat beer brewed with over 45 pounds of rhubarb in each batch. I was intrigued and interested, but unfortunately the first sip met with disappointment; there was not a single hint of rhuburb in the flavor profile. Instead, as I worked through the pint, I realized I was drinking a traditional – and rather generic – Hefeweizen. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, I’m a sucker for innovative and unique brews, but this one just never came together.

The Immortal IPA was Eric’s second pint of the afternoon. He rightly pointed out that whenever you’re out tasting beers you should always save the more bitter and hoppy ones for last, as they tend to distort the flavor of beers that follow. Simply put, Eric found the Immortal IPA to be a splendid beer. It had a nice light copper color with minimal opacity and a pleasantly hoppy aroma. For an IPA it was not very bitter, but the hop flavors really shone through and played well with one another. The beer also had a pleasant aftertaste that lingered on the tongue, daring one to take another sip. As far as IPAs go, this one was very good. Eric recommends this as one to try for those who are curious about IPAs, but also a little nervous about their hoppier flavor.

My second beer, The Wise ESB, came out looking like the twin of Eric’s Immortal IPA – and for good reason too. Compared to more traditional ESBs (Extra Special Bitters, a traditional English ale similar to an American Amber) it was much hoppier and lightier-bodied. In essence, it looked and tasted like a hybridization between an IPA and an ESB. It poured a rusty copper color with a light head. It was mildly malty but still light bodied, with hop flavors interwoven throughout. Overall this is quite a good beer, but it will definitely surprise you if you’re expecting a classic, English-style ESB.

Elysian has some great tasting brews that are very unique in their particular style, although occasionally they overreach in their experimentation. The brewery itself has a stylish atmosphere and attentive staff. Food runs rather expensive, so we recommend sticking to beer and heading to one of Capitol hill’s many delicious food joints if you get hungry. All in all, we definitely recommend checking out this brewery.